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This Weekend’s News: Ironing Out Corruption in Afghanistan’s Mining Sector

Resource challenges continue to play a role in shaping the
security environment in Afghanistan. Yesterday, Reuters reported that Afghan warlords could exacerbate violence
near the central provinces of Bamiyan, Parwan and Wardak where a 2 billion ton
iron deposit worth 350 billion dollars remains vulnerable to exploitation. The
iron deposit, known as the Hajigak project,is
said to be “Asia’s largest unmined iron deposit,”
and “may
provide hope for the prosperity of the country,” according to Reuters.

Afghanistan’s mining sector has experienced setbacks in recent years, with
accusations of corruption reaching ministerial-level officials. As the country
prepares to start production on the Aynak copper mine in 2014, its largest
resources contract to date, officials in Kabul will have to strengthen their oversight
of the nation’s mining sector to provide the foundation for transparent
economic development that the country needs in order to stand up after 10-years
of war and decades of internal conflict. Indeed, how well the Afghan government
is able to manage it resources in the coming years could be a telling indicator of the nation’s long-term stability.

On Wednesday at 8:30 AM, the Bipartisan Policy Center will
have a discussion on Evolving
Nuclear Technology and Regulations: Lessons from Fukushima. Then at noon on
Wednesday, there will be a lunch briefing at the Rayburn House Office Building on
Biodiversity Conservation in Afghanistan Advances U.S. Security Interests hosted
by the Wildlife Conservation Society.